Mare Nostrum: Empires Review – A Dried Up Civilization

Mare Nostrum I had only heard murmurings of in the past. Out of print, not usually spoken of and warnings of “don’t play the Greeks” from a balance perspective. OK, not the best introduction I could have gotten, but then Academy Games took over and ran a very successful Kickstarter for the new edition with upgraded components, updated rules and room for expansion. Naturally Mare Nostrum had a fanbase who jumped in on it and even if you had never heard of it, the publishers reputation for putting out some solid historical titles in the past (Freedom: The Underground Railroad is a prime example) would be enough to generate some interest.

The theme is ancient civilisation building, which is one I can get behind, but lately I don’t seem to be finding many games to satisfy my craving in this genre. Since acquiring games like Nations and Sid Meier’s Civilization and enjoying plays of Through The Ages and Clash of Cultures, the market seems to have dried from my perspective. Most games tend to be pretty forgettable and the less said about The Golden Ages the better (yuck)! So I was keen to give Mare Nostrum a try and hopefully find another new gem.